Ponder(osa)ing Pine Pruning

[fohtee2sir]

Hello. Getting an early spring here. Yay! Getting ready to start this pine also. Forgot the species name. Don't think it is a ponderosa but couldn't resist adding it to the title. Since everyone has kindly suggested leaving my 4 inch tall birch to grow for some time, I have been considering starting on this pine and planting the birch in its spot in the yard.
Got the pine from walmart? a year or two ago and have left it in the ground since but pinched out the top to keep the height down. Pine is 26 inches tall and 1 1/4 inches at the base of the trunk. The pictures also show that it has split into two leaders at the top. So I am wondering where to go from here. What style would suit it do you think? Keep the double top or go to one?
New at this so if you say depends on what you prefer, I would prefer not to kill this one. Rushed some other trees due to lack of knowledge and that goes poorly. (Lets prune the roots, the top, wire it, and put it into a small pot today and see how it looks tomorrow. Hey it died already! Checks the soil(mud). Hmm maybe I should water it...)
Thanks again for all the help with the birch. Looking forward to seeing this tree develop.

 

[Vance Wood]

I doubt that it is a Ponderosa Pine. I suspect it is either a JBP or ABP (Austrian Black Pine) The needles are too short for a Ponderosa. Do you see any places on the tree where there are three needles coming out of a fascicle? (the little paper looking sheath at the base is the fascicle) It could be Lodge Pole as well but the needles look a bit too stiff for Lodge Pole Pine.

 

[fohtee2sir]

Hi thanks for responding. The needles all seem to be in sets of two. Needles are indeed quite stiff.(and sharp!)

 

[Wilson]

looks like it could be a red pine(pinus resinosa) seems like another tree that needs a lot more time to develop. Maybe if you pull out some of the old needles, wire and move some branches, then get a better view of the tree as a whole, for designing ideas.

 

[Vance Wood]

Walmart sells a lot of Austrian Black Pine. This does indeed look like that. You have to consider that the tree was purchased from Walmart, a point I missed earlier. I know of no business that sells any of the native species we have mentioned.

 

[Adair M]

He's in Canada, Vance.

Doubtful it a JBP or JRP.

Could be an Austrian Black, Or maybe a Scott's. Doesn't look like a Mugo.

Unless you are going to let one of the leaders grow uninhibited as a sacrifice to fatten the trunk,I'd remove both of them, and choose a new leader entirely. They're both too tall.

The low branches look weak. The top is too thick. Thin the top to make the Tree more balanced.

 

[fohtee2sir]

I looked up some ABP bonsai and it seems they develop into nice trees if treated properly. So looks like its time to learn about that. Perhaps this one can stay here for now and I can put the birch in a different part of the yard.
Yes the low branches are weak, should they come off or would thinning the top help them to grow bigger?
Thanks again to all for the help and ideas.

 

[fohtee2sir]

So tried to clean up the pine a bit today. Noticed it was kind of loose in the soil. Pulled. Out it popped with all the roots still in the shape of a pot. Might not of been in the ground as long as I thought. Opened up the roots and replanted it for now. Do the roots look ok?

Also wondering about the bottom of the roots. They seem to be growing upwards as in the second picture.
Finally is a picture after I started to clean it up. Stopped when I realized it was not in the ground well and pulled it out.


Will that bottom branch help the trunk or should it come off?
Hope I have not killed it.
Thanks, Fohtee2sir

 

[Vance Wood]

I would take it off mostly because it does nothing for the shape of the tree not even an escape branch and removing will not hurt the tree at this point.

 

[fohtee2sir]

Excellent! For some reason that branch just bugged me.

 

[GSCarlson]

I would cut it off at the second set of branches from the bottom and wire up a new leader, regret my decision, throw it in the dumpster and start over.

 

[M. Frary]

I would replant it better and leave it alone until it can recuperate from being bare rooted.

 

[Vance Wood]

It amazes me that people don't read before they start work. I don't mean to be critical of anyone but this does illustrate a point. We are talking about removing this bottom branch but no one has addressed the fact that it appears that the tree has been bare rooted.

 

[M. Frary]

It amazes me that people don't read before they start work. I don't mean to be critical of anyone but this does illustrate a point. We are talking about removing this bottom branch but no one has addressed the fact that it appears that the tree has been bare rooted.

I brought it up in the post before yours Vance.
My reply may have been a little sarcastic. And I apologize to the OP.
That's not how I am. Well,maybe a little.

 

[Vance Wood]

I brought it up in the post before yours Vance.
My reply may have been a little sarcastic. And I apologize to the OP.
That's not how I am. Well,maybe a little.

My fault I seem to have missed your reply, and as I am known to do, posted the obvious and made it redundant as well. For those who are still wondering what this is about the accepted knowledge considers bare rooting a Pine a real risk and all but the kiss of death.

 

[sorce]

I would cut it off at the second set of branches from the bottom and wire up a new leader, regret my decision, throw it in the dumpster and start over.

Yup!
Nailed it!

Sorce

 

[Vance Wood]

Never throw a tree in the dumpster unless it's already dead and the wood is useless. Put it into a large pot planted at some screwy angle and let it grow and see what God gives you in a number of years as a reward.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Will that bottom branch help the trunk or should it come off?
Hope I have not killed it.
Thanks, Fohtee2sir

Personally would keep lowest branch as is best chance for interesting movement/development in trunk. Straight empty section above that won't be very attractive/interesting if kept unless planning to grow formal upright tree.